The episode opens with Sherlock jonesing hard core for a cigarette. He's buzzing about like a mad person, insulting John while simultaneously begging him for some nicotine. Or, you know, coke would probably do the trick too.

He instead settles on solving a case. After being contacted by George from Being Human, Sherlock and Watson venture out onto the moors in search of a mysterious, gigantic hell-hound. Sherlock expects to come back from his investigation with a simple, efficient, deduction-based explanation for what poor George has been afraid of all these years (and what killed Gerogie's dad). Instead, Sherlock himself sees the hound. Cue ANGST.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson The Hounds of Baskerville S02E02

Sherlock has a meltdown. He's always been able to trust his senses; trust his mind. But showing him something impossible has the potential to break him.

In one of my favorite moments ever, Sherlock says, "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." That's a famous Homles quote that pop-culture has recycled for years. One of its bazillion incarnations is delivered by Spock in Star Trek. After Sherlock utters this famous line, he bemoans the way in which emotions hinder our abilities to be logical, prompting Watson to call him Spock. AND let's not forget, Benedict Cumberbatch is going to be in the next Star Trek film. It was like a million degrees of self-reference - so many that my mind wants to explode. And it was one throwaway line. Love.

Anyway... Sherlock bites Watson's head off because Sherlock wants to believe that there is NOTHING wrong with him. He's the guy that knows what's what. Having something be wrong with his mind is a thought too horrible to imagine. He IS his mind. His doubt and fear and self-questioning all manifest as anger. Which! Prompts an apology (of sorts).

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson The Hounds of Baskerville S02E02

It's part apology, part explanation. And the slightest of acknowledgements that Watson is actually his friend. Aww. About a half minute later, he insults Watson for his inferior intelligence. But we would expect no less.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson The Hounds of Baskerville S02E02

Later, Sherlock visits his mind palace. Oh the mind palace. There's nothing angsty about it. I just find the thought of filming these moments hilarious. I would pay to see Benedict Cumberbatch acting out these bits sans all the graphics. He must look like an absolute nutter.

Everything comes out in the wash when Sherlock realizes they've all been drugged. You do NOT give a logic-obsessed genius mind altering substances without his consent.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson The Hounds of Baskerville S02E02

The episode ends with the reveal that Morriarty is out. Because only geniuses and evil people write on windows and mirrors. Whiteboards are hard to come by when you're a genus. Or evil. Or an evil genius.

Sherlock Holmes The Hounds of Baskerville S02E02 Episode Two Series Two Sherlock BBC Benedict Cumberbatch

Episode three is pretty much perfection and I'm really looking forward to chatting about it. Until then!